• Training

  Inzpire's GECO mission planning system rolls out to boost Royal Air Force training

  12th May 2023

  The UK Military Flying Training System is rolling out the GECO mission planning system, used by frontline RAF squadrons, on additional fixed- and rotary-wing trainer aircraft fleets in 2023.

• Digital Battlespace

  SOF Week 2023: USSOCOM to observe high throughput connectivity at sea demonstration

  8th May 2023

  The demo will showcase a layered and integrated communications network featuring mobile ad hoc network, tropospheric scatter, and satellite connectivity.

• Defence Notes

  How commercial technologies are helping the Pentagon combat cyber threats

  1st June 2023

  The DoD is focused on the use of AI, ML and trusted commercial autonomy as well as cyber and telecom solutions to be combined with the government’s assets.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Highway landing opens door to future MQ-9 Reaper capabilities

  12th May 2023

  The US has landed an MQ-9 Reaper UAV on a highway for the first time as part of Exercise Agile Chariot.

• Land Warfare

  UK plays host to inaugural AUKUS Pillar 2 AI and autonomy trial

  26th May 2023

  While for most part AUKUS is about submarines, under its Advanced Capabilities Pillar, known as Pillar 2, the UK, US and Australia are collaborating on other leading-edge technologies.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IMDEX 2023: Aeronautics sees growing interest in maritime UAV integration

  4th May 2023

  Israeli UAV maker Aeronautics, known for its Orbiter family of systems, has told Shephard that the company sees great potential in the maritime space and navies’ growing interest in integrating drones into the domain globally.

• Defence Notes

  SOF Week: USSOCOM seeks commercial solutions for contested environments

  8th May 2023

  The priority is accessing systems and technologies that can improve the communication and decision-making process and enable operations in contested scenarios.

• Training

  Royal Air Force pilots to train in Italy to address UK aircrew pipeline issues

  17th May 2023

  In a bid to mitigate disruption to fast jet training, the Royal Air Force will begin using the International Flight Training School in Italy.

• Defence Notes

  IMDEX 2023: MBDA and PGZ partnership includes ‘deep industrial cooperation’ on CAMM-ER

  6th May 2023

  MBDA has confirmed that work with Poland on land and maritime air defence includes cooperation on the extended-range version of the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM), known as CAMM-ER.

• Land Warfare

  SOF Week 2023: MRZR Alpha will receive new capabilities

  10th May 2023

  Polaris is working on engineering changes to increase the exportable power of the vehicle to up to 5kw.

• Training

  Dutch Army takes control of new chemical threat simulator

  25th April 2023

  The Royal Netherlands Army has taken control of a new chemical threat simulator from Bagira Systems.

• Training

  Vrgineers to showcase F-15E fighter simulator that could replace live training at IT2EC 2023

  12th April 2023

  Vrgineers and Razbam Simulations have developed a transportable F-15E pilot simulator that offers high levels of immersion and will soon allow for one-to-one training.

• Training

  IT2EC 2023: Simthetiq delivers first 3D model-based training solution to NATO nation

  18th April 2023

  Simthetiq is delivering 3D simulation models to support a new fifth-generation fighter aircraft programme for an undisclosed NATO member.

• Naval Warfare

  UPDATED: France’s Naval Group hunts Indonesian and Philippine submarine deals

  19th May 2023

  French shipbuilder Naval Group is on the hunt for new potential submarine deals, including opportunities in Indonesia – which is looking for new boats – and in the Philippines, where Manilla seeks to generate a new subsurface capability.

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army outlines next steps for Guarani armoured vehicle update

  15th May 2023

  With the aim of fielding a vehicle that can overcome current and future threats, the Guarani 2.0 project is intended to improve the capabilities of the VBTP 6x6 fleet.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice for Project Brakestop, informing industry of the upcoming competition. Requirements ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Project Corvus [UK]

  Programme Background Retirement In November 2024, speaking in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the WK 450 Watchkeeper was to be retired ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

• Transport

  VC-25B - USAF

  The modifications to the 747-8 aircraft will include an electrical power upgrade with dual Auxiliary Power Units that are usable in flight, a mission communication ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (US)

  Programme Background On 6 March 2023, GA-ASI announced that the Air Force Special Operations Command (ASFOC) had contracted three MQ-9B SkyGaurdians, making it the first US customer of the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28NE Night Hunter

  Algerian military's follow-up order suggests that the country is satisfied with the Mi-28NE Night Hunters' performance in operational conditions in the desert environment featuring sandstorms ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Poland]

  Programme Background Reports of a possible purchase of the C-390 by Poland began circulating in June 2024 after a Polish journalist revealed that Embraer executives ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Mobile Strike Force Vehicle (Ukraine Aid) [USA]

  Programme Background The US first provided Ukraine with the M1117 ASV in September 2022, when 250 vehicles were donated as part of a $400 million ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  PL-5

  The PL is a Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capable UAV from EDGE Group. According to the company, it is engineered for persistent surveillance and ...

• Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APQ-181

  The AN/APQ-181 is a low-probability-of-intercept radar fitted to USAFNorthrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers. During the B-2 Radar ModernizationProgram – completed in 2012 – the B-2’s legacy ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  CreoLand HP

  CreoLand HP is a 10W MANET radio designed for command centres, long-range applications, artillery and special forces units. Notably, it offers a data throughput of 100Mbps ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Gogol-M

  The Gogol-M is a Ukrainian fixed-wing drone carrier, or mothership, from Strategy Force Solutions. The system can deliver two first-person view (FPV)-type attack drones to hit precision ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  H10 Poseidon

  The H10 Poseidon, or H-10, is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV manufactured by Swamrly. Due to the UAV's electric propulsion system, small radar cross-section, lack of detachable thermal signature and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  DT-101

  The DT-101 is a small fixed-wing UAV from Deftech. The VTOL-capable platform features SATCOM with up to 10Mbs bandwidth capability. DefTech lists various payloads for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  DT-001

  The DT-001 is a tandem wing UCAV from Deftech. It can host a range of non-offensive payloads, such as IO/EO cameras and an airborne LIDAR. ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Khronos

  The Khronos is a tethered, fully automated UAV for ISR missions in GPS/GNSS-denied and RF-denied environments. The drone's manufacturer, Elistair, stated that it could be deployed from a ...

• Loitering munitions

  Q-SLAM-100

  Unveiled at DSEI 2025, the Q-SLAM-100 is a man-portable loitering munition. Manufactured by Arquimea, the system is designed for medium-range missions with 120 minutes of flight autonomy ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Spider VTOL

  The Spider VTOL is a mini electrical fixed-wing UAV. Unlike traditional VTOL UAVs with dedicated motors, propellors and structural parts for performing take-off and landing, the Spider ...

• Data links

  MAQA Terminal 3.8m Flyaway Variant

  The Modular Aperture Quad-Band Antenna (MAQA) Terminal is designed to provide a ruggedised, mobile, quad-band SATCOM terminal that supports operations with the WGS constellation, legacy ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/VRC-118(V)1

  The AN/VRC-118(V)1 is a Mid-tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) which provides warfighters with the ability to share situational awareness. The MNVR utilises two joint tactical ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  BLADE-55

  The Ballistic Loitering Attack Drone (BLADE, or BLADE-55) is a multi-role, weaponised rotary-wing UAV from Alare Technologies.  The drone can notably host two NAMMO M72 LAW weapons. Additionally, the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...